Genus 2. 



PEACH FAMILY. 



3^9 



I. Padus nana (Du Roi) Roemer. 

 Choke Cherry. Fig. 2425. 



Primus nana Du Roi. HarbU. Baumz. i- ; 194. /. 4. 



1772. 

 Padus nana Roem. Arch, i": 38. 1797. 



A shrub, 2-io high, rarely a small tree, 

 with gray bark. Leaves thin, obovate to ovate 

 or oval, abruptly acute or acuminate at the 

 apex, rounded at the base, glabrous or some- 

 what pubescent on the lower surface, sharply 

 or doubly serrulate with slender teeth; petioles 

 with several glands ; flowers white, 4"-s" 

 broad, in erect or spreading mainly loosely- 

 flowered racemes; petals suborbicular ; pedi- 

 cels 2"-3" long, drupe red to nearly black, 

 rarely yellow, globose, 4"-5" in diameter, very 

 astringent ; stone globular. 



.'Vlong river-banks and in rocky situations. New- 

 foundland to Manitoba. Georgia and Texas. April- 

 May. Fruit ripe in July or August. 



2. Padus melanocarpa (A. Nelson) Shafer. 

 Rocky Mountain Wild Cherry. Fig. 2426. 



Cerasus demissa melanocarpa A. Nelson, Bot. Gaz. 



34: 25. 1902. 

 P. melanocarpa Shafer ; Britton & Shafer, N. A. Trees 



504. 1908. 



A shrub or small tree, with greatest height of 

 about 30 and trunk diameter of li, but usu- 

 ally much smaller. Leaves glabrous, similar to 

 those of the preceding species, but thicker, acute 

 or often obtusish at the apex, and with shorter 

 teeth ; flowers white, 4"-5" broad ; racemes 

 generally dense, short or elongated, densely- 

 flowered, terminating leafy branches; drupe dark 

 purple or black (rarely yellow), sweet or but 

 slightly astringent, globose, 3"-4" in diameter. 



Prairies and dry soil. North Dakota to Nebraska 

 and New Me.xico, west to British Columbia and Cali- 

 fornia. Wood hard, not strong, light brown ; weight 

 per cubic foot 43 lbs. Western choke-cherry. May- 

 July. Fruit ripe in August. Padus demissa (Nutt.) 

 Roemer, of northwestern America, with leaves pubes- 

 cent beneath, and red or purplish fruit, may not be 

 distinct from P. nana. 



3. Padus virginiana (L.) Mill. Wild 



Black Cherry. Cahinet or Ruth 



Cherry. Fig. 2427. 



Prunus virginiana L. Sp. PI. 473. I753- 



Padus virginiana Mill Gard. Diet. Ed. 8. no. 3. 



1768. 

 Prunus serotina Ehrh. Beitr. 3: 20. 1788. 

 Prunus serotina Sinallii Britton, in Britt. & Brown, 

 111. Fh 2: 253. 1897. 



A large tree, with maximum height of about 

 90 and trunk diameter of 4, the bark rough 

 and black. Leaves thick, oval, oval-lanceolate 

 or ovate, acuminate or acute at the apex, 

 narrowed or rounded at the base, glabrous, or 

 pubescent along the veins beneath, serrate with 

 appressed callous teeth; flowers similar to 

 those of the two preceding species, the 

 racemes elongated, spreading or droopmg, 

 terminating leafv branches, petals obovate: 

 drupe globose, 4"-s" in diameter ; dark purple 

 or black, sweet hut slightly astringent. 



In woods or open places. Nova Scotia to Florida, 

 South Dakota, Kansas and Texas. Wood hard 

 strong, reddish-brown ; weight per cubic foot 36 

 lbs.; used in cabinet making. Wild or whiskey 

 cherry. May. Fruit ripe Aug.-Sept. 



